Advertising apparatus.



No. 819,673.` PATRNTRR MAY 1, i906. F. L. REYNOLDS. ADVERTISING APPARATUS. APPLIUATIOI" FILED AUG. 19, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHBET l.

No. 2219,673. PATENTE!) MAY 1, 1906. l E. L. REYNOLDS.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1905.

narran sevres PATENT orrioa.

FREDERICK L. vREYNOLDS, OF CHICAGO, yILLlNOlS; ASSIGNOR. 0F ONE- HALF TO ERNST Tl ITGENS, CF Y()U.\'tS'l`O \\'N, OHlO.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented May 1, 1906.

Application tiled August 19,1905. Serial Nn. 274,896.

To all whom, it may concern; i

Be it known that I, Fnnnnnien L. Riav- NoLDs, a citizen of the United States, rcsidlng at Chicago, county of Cook, lState of llhnois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Advertising A iparatus; and I declare the following to be a tl'ull, clear, and exact description oi' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains -to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a )art of this specification.

My invention relates in general to advertising, and more particularly to apparatus for continuously moving a series of displaycards.

The available space for displaying advertisements is 'frequently limited-ais, for instance, in street-cars. Consequently it is desirable to increase the capacity of the space by moving the cards on which the advertisements are inscribed. The mover-nent of the advertisements also renders them more ellicient, as the eye is more readily attracted to them than to stationary signs.

The primary object ot' invinvention is to provide an apparatus by means ol` which a series of cards containing advertisements may be continuously moved along a displayspace.

A further object 'of my invention is to provide an ap )aratus for displaying advertisements which will be simple 1n construction, ineX ensive in manufacture, and etlicient in use. Iy invention generally described consists of an endless flexible carrier, guide-wheels within the ends of said carrier, means for moving the carrier, open frames adapted to inclose. display-cards secured to said carrier, and indes for controlling the positions ol' the ames during their movementwith said carrier.

M invention will be more fully described hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which the saine is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, `and in Which- Figure 1 is an elevational view, parts being shown in section; Fig. 2, a sectional view through one of the frames for surrounding an advertising-card; Fig. 3, a cross-sectional view showing the invention as secured to thel usual curved portion of a street-car; Fig. 4, a

, wheels B and l".

plan view ol one end of the apparatus; Fig. 5, a plan view of ih e opposite end to that shown in Fig. 4; Fig. (i, a sectional view on line (i, Fig. 5: and Fig. 7, an enlarged sectional view of t he guiding st ruct ure. cji't 'lhe same reference cha racters are used to designate the same parts in the several igures oi' the drawings.

ltcl'ercncc character A indicates an endless carrier-"such, lor instance. as a sprocketchain---adapled to travel around sprocket- 'l`hc sprocket-wheels are secured to any suitable support such, l'or instance, as the interior ol' a st reet-car above the windows, where it is customary to display advert iscments.

if3 indicates a bracket upon which' the sprocket-wlieel l" is journaled, while the sprocket-heel li is provided with a stubshal't l), journaled within a bracket I1. A

beveled gear lis secured to the lower end ol. the stub-shalt l' and meshes with a beveled gear C, secured to the upper end ol ashalt c,

`adapted to be driven by any suitable power connection-such, l'or instance, as the axle ol' il 'lill' 0ll i). SlpU'llr liIUtUF.

c indicates a bracket within which the end ol' the shal't c adjacent the gear-wheel C is journaled.

livotally connected to the s|nocketchain A are open trames l2, &c., within which arc received cards ll' Il, &e., upon which advertisements are displayed. ',lhc frames may bc conveniently constructed as indicated in detail in Fig. 2, in which they are shown as consisting of sheet metal, one side oll which isipl'ovidcd with ay slot through which the display-card may be inserted and removed. ()nc vertical edge ol cach of the frames is provided with` a tube through which extends a rod g, secured at its lower end to the chain A. 'l`he rods g preferably constitute upward extensions of the usual pivot-pins which unite tbc links of a sprocketchain. The uppcr end of each rod g is provided with a roller (12, while the opposite. upper end of each fra-me is provided with a roller g", projecting to a less height above the frame than the roller g2. The lower end ol' each frame below the roller g may be provided with a support g4.

A guide F is supported beneath the chain A and is provided with outer, flanges `f and ICO inner iianges f2, spaced apart to form channels within which the chain travels. The support g4 on each frame is adapted to rest upon the chain, while the opposite lower end ofeach frame is supported above the chain by means of a washer g', surrounding the rod g. A guide E, similar to the guide B, is supported above the upper edges of the series of supporting-frames and is provided with outer depending flanges e and inner anges c2, spaced apart to form channels within which are guided the rollers g2 and g3 on the top edges of each frame. Any suitable means may be provided for supporting the guides E and F-such, for instance, as brackets e and f, secured to a suitable support-such, for instance, as the lcurved portion D in a car.

yThe guides may be conveniently con- L structed as shown in Fig. 7, in which an directing outer channel-beam has secured within the same a narrower channel-beam, thereby forming ianges spaced apart to Aafford grooves.

to receive the chain in the caseof the lower guide or to receive the rollers on the frame 1n the case of the upper guide.

The inner ilangesj'2 of the lower guide and e2 of the upper guide are cut away for a distance Afrom the drivings procket-wheel B slightly greater than the length of the frames for supporting the signs, as shown in Fig. l and Fig. 4. The iront fiangef2 adjacent the cut-away portion is preferably bent, asshown at j", so as to serve as a guide for successively the frames between the front flangesj" and f2 of the guide.

The upper and lower guides are extended beyond the idle sprocket-wheel B2 a distance corresponding to the length of the frames. Such extensions of the guides are, however, provided with no inner flanges, but are provided with wedge-shaped guides f3 for engaging' the rollers g3 at the upper front corners of the successive frames as the chain passes around the sprocket-wheel.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The upper and lower guides are secured to a suitable support-such, for instance, as the curved portion D of a ear. yThe shaft C is rotated, which rotates the sprocket-wheel'B through the medium of the rneshed beveled gears B and C. The chain A is consequently driven and is held taut by the idle sprocketwheel B2'. W'hen the chain is driven in the directionof the arrowsin Figs. 4 and 5, each frame as the rod g, by means of which it is pivoted to the chain, passes around the sprocket-wheel B swings by gravity into the position shown at G in Fig. 4, owing to the inner flanges `of the upper and lower guidegrooves lbeing cut away, so that the roller g3 and support g4 pass between the reduced inner flanges. As the sup orti-ng-rod g passes around the sprocket-w eel B the guideroller g3 and sup ortg4 are .directed by the deflectorf4 into t e groove between the front the right and engages the wedge-sha ed blockfa; When the rod y of each frame as assed around the sprocket-wheel B2, the frame is drawn past the defiector f 5 into the guide-groove formed' between the rear plates.n

or-flanges on the guides, The portion of the chain which travels toward the right supports the frames at the rear ends thereof; but after the chain passes around the sprocket B2 and travels toward the left the frames are supported at their front edges. The upper guide E is arranged out of vertical alinement with the lower guide F, so that the signs are inclined during their movement with the endless carrier. The uide g2 at the upper end of each of the rodgs g, frames which support the signs swing, is of a greater height than the guide g3 at the opposite "upper edge of each signsupporting frame, so that it will remain in the rear guide-groove, While the .reduced inner fianges c2 permit the guide-roller g3 to pass from the rear guide to the front guide as the signs successively swing by gravity in passing from the rear guide to the front guide.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that l have invented an improved apparatus for displaying signs by means of which a given space may be utihzed for eX- hibiting twice the/number of signs that could be displayed il' fixed to such space. In addition to the increased capacity resulting from my improvement the motion imparted to the display-cards attracts attention to them and when applied to the interior of street-cars I'esults in each advertisement being carried in front of each occupant of the car, thereby greatly increasing the value of the advertis- 1ng-space.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l, [n an advertising apparatus, the combiabout which the.V

ICO

nation with a ilexible endless carrier, of guides 7 around which said carrier travels, means for driving said carrier, and inclined signs each pivotally connected at one end to said carrier.

In an advertising apparatus', the combination vwith a flexible endless carrier, of guides around which said carrier travels, means for driving said carrier, `and inclined inflexible display-surfaces each pivotally connected at one end to saidl carrier.

ln an advertising a paratus, the combination witha flexible en( less carrier, of guides around which said carrier travels, means for driving said carrier, inclined inflexible open frames each pivotally connected at one end to said carrier, and display-cards inclosed withinfsaid frames.

4, In an advertising a paratus, the combination with a lieXible en ess carrier, of guides around which said carrier travels, meansfor driving said carrier, inclined signs each pivotally. connected at one end to said carrier, and guides for controlling the positions of said signs duringtheir movement with said carrier. j

5. In an advertising a paratus, the combination with a flexible en less-carrier, of guides around which said carrier travels, meansfor driving said carrier, inclined signs each pivotally connegted at one end to said carrier, gi'ooved guides located above and below said signs, and projections carried b said signs engaging the grooves in said gui es.

6. In an advertising a paratus, the combi-V nation with a flexible en less carrier, of guides aroundI which said carrier travels, means for' driving said carrier, inclined signs located above and each pivotally connected at one `end of its lower ed'e to said carrier, and guides located above sai signs for controllin their positions during their movement wit said carrier.

7 Inan advertising apparatus, the combil nation with an endless sprocket-chain, of sprocket-wheels engaged b said chain, means for driving said chain, an inclined inexible signs each pivotally connected at one end to said chain.

S. Inran advertising apparatus, the combination with an endlgess sprocket-chain, of sprocket-wheels engaged-by said chain, means for drivingsaid chain, inclined open rigid rames eacli pivotally connected at one end to said chain, and display-cards inclosed by said iranies.

9. In an advertising ap aratus, the combination with a sprocket-c iain,`of guides for said chain, rods secured, to and projectin above predetermined links in said chain,an inclined signs each pivotally" secured at one end to one of said rods.

i0. In an advertising 'ap aratus, the combination with a ilexible en ess carrier, of ro4 tary guides around which said carrier travsaid gui els, inclined rigid signs each pivotally connected at one end to said carrier, parallel flanges forming lirontl and rearguides labove and below said signs, the inner llanges ofthe guides being cut away adjacent one end thereof to Vplermit the signs swinging by gravity from e rear guide to the front guide as the lcarrier passes around its adjacent rotary 6o guide, and means located beyond the opposite rotary guide for said carrier for directing each sign from the front to the rear guide as the carrier passes around such rotarv guide.

11. In an advertising ap aratus, the coinbination with a sprocket-c ain, of sprocket- Wheels around which said chain travels, means for driving said chaininclined rigid signs each pivotally connected to said chain at one of its lower edges, parallel flanges 7o forming front and rear guides below said signs Within Which said sprocket-chain travels, the inner ilanges ol said guides being cut away adjacent one sprocket-wheel to permit the signs swinging by` gravity from the rear guide to the front uide as the carrier passes around said sproc et-wheel, and meansllocated beyond' the opposite sprocket-Wheel for directing each sign from the front to the rear uide as the chain passes around said 8o sproc et-Wheel.

12. In an advertising ap aratus, the combination with a sproclret-ciiain, of sprocketwheels around which said chain travels, means for driving said chain, inclined rigid signs each pivotally connected at one end to said sprocket-chain, parallel llanges formin iront and' rear guides above and below said signs, .a projection in line with the axes of each sign engaging the upper guides, a shorter l 9 o projection on'the opposite end of each sign, engaging seid guides, the inner flanges of es being reduced in height to permit the shorter projections on the signs to pass between the same and the signs thereby swing by gravity from the rear guide to the front guide as the chain changes its direction of movement.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the resence of two witnesses.

F EDERICKL. REYNOLDS. Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINsoN, (1A. MULLEN. 

